We studied continuous self-report of cocaine-craving, autonomic measures (heart rate, cardiac vagal tone index, general motor activity, finger, and cheek temperature) and self-reported affect (POMS) in 20 male research volunteers with heavy cocaine abuse histories. All subjects were exposed to a cocaine videotape and audiotape in counter-balanced order with a control audio and videotape. The autonomic correlates of craving induced by the cocaine-stimuli were small and could be attributed to nonspecific psychophysiological responding while attending to an external stimulus. However, autonomic and affective correlates emerged when we correlated overall levels of cocaine- craving with pre-stimulus heart rate and self-reported affect. Replicating our preliminary study with a smaller number of residential volunteers, cocaine-craving was negatively correlated (r = -.45, p<05) with resting (i.e., pre-stimulus) heart rates; craving was also negatively correlated (r = -.44, p<.06) with baseline forehead temperature. Cocaine-craving was positively correlated with both positive and negative affect on the POMS. These results indicated stable trait characteristics rather than reactions to the tapes. There were interesting parallels between the autonomic patterns of the higher cocaine-craving subjects and "fussy," irritable, dysregulated infants. Cocaine abusers who do not crave cocaine may have blunted affect. Cocaine- craving was much greater in this outpatient study than our otherwise similar residential study, suggesting that drug availability or anticipation may determine the intensity of cocaine-craving. Unlike the preliminary study, frequency (but not quantity) of cocaine use was positively correlated (r = .70, p <.001) with cocaine-craving. These results indicate that stable individual physiological correlates of cocaine-craving may be more robust than evoked responses to cocaine-stimuli in this paradigm.